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Congressman Mullin Votes to Protect Taxpayers from Fraud

Sep 12, 2013

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WASHINGTON – Congressman Markwayne Mullin (OK-2) today voted to stop the payment of Obamacare subsidies without a legitimate program in place to verify recipient eligibility. The legislation passed the House by a vote of 235-191.

“The largest entitlement program for Obamacare will soon begin paying out subsidies for premium and cost reductions,” Mullin said. “Yet there is no system in place to verify eligibility, opening the system up to fraud and error. I am not willing to stand by and watch billions of dollars collected from hard-working Americans get wasted because of yet another critical flaw in Obamacare.”

H.R. 2775 prohibits the distribution of premium tax credits and cost reduction subsidies before the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) certifies there is a program in place to verify household income and other coverage qualifications, and that the verification program is operational.

The White House has already issued a veto threat on the bill because they claim there is already an “effective and efficient system for verification of eligibility” for these taxpayer subsidies.

“I find self-reporting and sample audits to fall far short of an effective and efficient verification system,” Mullin said of the White House statement.

“From a private sector business perspective, having no way other than an honor system to safeguard these taxpayer-funded subsidies makes little sense. From a taxpayer standpoint, it is further evidence of the arrogance and ‘shoot-from-the hip’ approach the Obamacare advocates have toward taxpayer dollars and their disastrous program.”